Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-02
INGALLS, DIPLOMA.

st. Paul Globe.
"Vice President Ingalls, had narrow
escape about getting diploma from his
alma mater" remarked a st. Paul gentle
man who was a former classmate at Viii
liams college, where he was one year ahead
of the late President Garfield, land the
circumstances which led to it may prove OF
interest. Near Williams college, in the
town of Pittsfield, Mass there was young
ladies' seminary, known as the Maplewood
institute. and one of the practices OF the
good preceptress at the head was to give
her charges an airing among the Berkshire
hills in large omnibus. By combina
ton of circumstances, one day bus load
of attractive feminity pulled into the staid
old college grounds, and fate led them past
West college, in one of the rooms of which
was located Sophomore John j. In
gals. He had provided himself with
a large tin horn, and as the
fair school girls passed his quarters he gave
them An outburst of melody with his horn
that stirred the whole college. Nothing
WAS said at the time, but few days later,
when the class Of which MIR. ingalls, was .
member assembled for the customary rhet-
orical exercises, President Mark Hopkins
entered and took chair on the rostrun
Tapping the thumb Of the left hand with
his eve glasses-a favorite habit, by the
wav, when he wanted to scold delin
ouent-he called attention to student In
CALLS breach Of decorun, and accused him
of not being averse to blowing his own
horn upon every occasion.
.Under this castigation from the veneer
able president ingalls, remained quiet, but
he was terribly enraged, and every body in
school knew that he would only bds his
time to get even. And it came on gradua-
ton day According to usage he had pre-
pared an essay, which he entitled Mummy
Life at College, and this was submitted to
one of the professors for revision. Natur-
ally. it had to be toned, and when the
manuscript was returned to Mr.. ingalls, the
most telling points, according TO his idea,
were eliminated. Finally he was called
upon to deliver his essay before the Assem-
bied multitude on commencement day, and
to the horror Of president and faculty he
announced as his subject College Mum
mics In keen, sarcastic manner, for
which he has since become foremost in the
United States, he paid his respects to bis
tutor. and persisted in finishing his re-
marks, although repeatedly told TO stop
Then he sat down and awaited develop
ments. After shor, pause diploma was
handed him. but 10 his amazenent and
chagriu it was 8 mere blank so far as any
testimonial of merit was concerned But
ingalls, again outwitted the faculty, for
previous to delivering his speech he had
visited the college treasurer. paid his bill
and obtained receipt which included
certificate of graduation as bachelor OF
arts. To this he called attention OF the
faculty., adding if they persisted In refus-
ing him wha, was his by rights he would
at once institute q suit against the college.
A Few days later he was nlade happy by
receiving q properly signed AID auihenii-
Gated document showing him TO Be grad
nate of Williams in good standing. This
took place in 1855. and twenty i've years
later he had greater revenge when his
alma na,er not only chose him 10 deliver